Mission's End
by sakuramau
Summary: Almost two years have passed since Elders Price and Cunningham came to Uganda and changed a small village for ever. Now, it's time to go home. But are all missionaries going back to the US? Don't be sad about leaving, as Elder Cunningham is here to make you remember all the fun you've had while in Uganda!


'I can't believe it's almost time to go home,' Kevin said. It was after lights-out and he and Arnold were lying in their beds, but neither of them seemed to be able to fall asleep. 'I mean, it's still going to be a few months, but we've already started planning, soon we'll be buying plane tickets! Almost two years went by so quickly…'

'Yeah,' Arnold said. Kevin lifted his head, trying to see his friend in the dark. It was unusual for him to be so quiet. Was something wrong?

'Everything alright? Have you talked to Nabulungi?' he asked, afraid it might be the reason for his companion's taciturnity.

'Yes, I have. Well, she doesn't want to go to the US. She probably guessed that I was going to propose to her so she could be a citizen and you know. She said she can't leave all the people in the village and just go away while they'll be left here. And then she started crying and told me she's going to miss me so much—'

'Oh, I'm so sorry—' Kevin began, but Arnold interrupted him.

'I'm going to propose anyway.'

'Huh?'

'Well, if she doesn't want to go to Utah with me, I'll stay here with her! If she only says yes.'

'You—you're going to stay?' Kevin almost shouted, but immediately lowered his voice to almost a whisper. 'This is incredible. You must really love Nabulungi, I'm sure she'll say yes. But as for me, I'm going to miss you an awful lot. We all are.'

'I'm going to miss you guys, too. Especially you, my best friend.' It seemed that Arnold smiled a little remembering the times he would use this phrase all the time, despite the fact that Price didn't deserve to be called his best friend then.

'Now it seems like we're all abandoning you,' Kevin muttered, also remembering that time he tried to change his mission location and leave his partner behind.

'No, it's not like that. We've all come a long way, this village is not what it used to be, thanks to all of us. I think that we'll still be fine when you leave, although, of course, it's going to be harder. But, you know, you all have careers ahead of you, you need to go to college. As for me, I've never been book smart, so I don't think I would be something great if I came back to the US. And here I've got the respect and friendship of all the people in the village and many from the nearby ones. It's all the way it should be.'

'It's true that we've all come a long way,' Kevin whispered, still amazed.

'So, tomorrow I'm going to ask Nala… Naba… Na-bu-lun-gi to marry me and then we'll see.'

'Good luck. Especially with pronouncing her name. If you get it right at first try, I think she'll agree right away.'

'Well, I'll try my best. So, good night, Kevin.

'Good night, Arnold.'

_Three months later_

The wedding was, as Kevin said, the second most miraculous thing he'd ever seen. That poor village had somehow managed to throw a great party. There were a lot of decorations illustrating the Prophet's stories and commemorating all the missionaries' and villagers' heroic feats, which had lead them all where they were today. It was at the same time a farewell party for those returning home. As a surprise for them and the newly wed, the villagers put up a pageant about their first days in Uganda. Although intended to be a serious play, it made the missionaries cry laughing, especially at each other's expense.

But perhaps the greatest miracle of all that happened that day was the visit of Elder Cunningham's parents. It had taken a lot of time at the beginning to convince them that his staying in Uganda without the Mission President's approval and then making his own religion was a good thing. At first they didn't even want to hear anything about it, only told him to pack his things and come home. After learning that he wouldn't do so, his father didn't want to contact him anymore. But gradually he and the rest of his family became convinced that even if what he was doing may not be right from the point of view of the LDS church, it still brought something good to the world. So in the end they accepted it and came for the wedding and to see what their son and his friends had accomplished.

As for Kevin's parents, although he had expected them to disinherit him after learning what he had become a part of, they turned out to be okay with it. He was so bewildered when he heard it from them on the phone, that he thought it was another dream and this time he was going to an even worse version of hell. His father then proceeded to have a hearty talk with him in which he told him that he also sometimes had doubts. Previously he had tried just ignoring them and doubling down on his church work, but recently he came to the conclusion that being sure that what their church taught was absolutely true isn't the most important thing in the world and maybe there are other ways of doing good things and going to heaven. So now, his family was awaiting him, proud of what he had done.

The second-to-last day of their stay in Uganda was a busy one for all the returning missionaries. Packing their things, cleaning their quarters… Of course, all the people in the village were helping them. Kevin couldn't help but smile seeing Elder Butt Effing Naked and his ex-soldiers cleaning the windows vigorously. They were almost done as the sun would soon be setting.

'Hi, Kevin!' Arnold shouted, as if he hadn't already seen him fifteen times that day.

'Hi, Arnold. I've just been looking for you.'

'So, here I am,' his best friend grinned.

'Would you go to the cemetery with me?'

'Oh, sure. I'll just tell Naba I'm going.'

He was back in five minutes and then they were on their way.

Elder Thomas was buried in the USA, but his friends made him a commemorative mound in the local cemetery. This was where he died. This was where he should be remembered.

The two friends stood there in silence for a while. Then Kevin said:

'You know, when he was sick, I thought it was my fault. Because I made us stay here. It wouldn't have happened if everybody just went home. But he told me it wasn't anyone's fault. He wanted to go on a mission to do something good. And he did. And he said that it sometimes requires a sacrifice and his illness was so. He probably didn't think he would die from it, though…'

'Remember, such things happen, no matter where. If we'd gone home, one of us could also die for some reason. And we all wanted to stay here. So don't think about it like that.'

'Yes, I know it's so. Thank you of reminding me. Well, I guess we should be going back, before it's dark.'

So they turned around and went towards the village.

'I hope everybody will be alright after returning home,' Kevin said. 'I wish everyone's families were so accepting as ours.'

'They'll be fine.' Arnold replied. 'Stop worrying about everything your last night here, best friend! Let's remember all the adventures we've had since coming here. Remember the time we all went swimming in that river and somebody from the village shouted the water was contaminated with some deadly bacteria?'

'Yes, it's a rather scary memory. Good thing we didn't come in too deep before we learned that.'

'But Connor still looked as if he wanted to peel off the skin from his legs after climbing on the shore, it was so funny!'

'Well, I felt in a similar way, I don't think it was that funny…'

'Oh, and remember the time we all had diarrhea?'

'I'd rather forget that.'

'And that time you had malaria and had that dream and screamed so much that Connor ran to the hospital wearing only a towel because he was in the shower at the time and he thought you were being murdered?

'So far, one could think only horrible things have been happening since we came here…'

'But it was so funny when he lost the towel!'

'Maybe to you, but you wouldn't probably want the first thing you see after waking up from a scary dream to be your district leader naked…'

'Ah, yes, you later told us that you dreamed about the time you tried to convert the general, but he…'

'Can we _please_ not talk about that? It's bad enough that they included this scene in that pageant at your wedding!'

'Well, it was a retelling of what had happened since we came to the village and the scene was important to understand what you did later.'

'But… Well, at least they didn't have to be so explicit about it! But again, I should probably be grateful they didn't show me in the way they did Joseph Smith in that play two years ago. Oh, that's one good memory. If it weren't for their play, we probably wouldn't be here today.'

'That's right. So, you see, maybe the play about us also did something incredible for some people watching it.'

'Maybe, who knows? Well, here we are, I can see the village already. Tomorrow morning we're leaving, I can't believe it. And you and Nabulungi are staying. When will I see you again?'

'Well, I don't think we'll be able to save as much money as to fly to the US for visits… But maybe my parents will want to have us over for Christmas from time to time and they'll pay for our tickets. If it happens, know that you're also invited and come as soon as we do.'

'That's amazing! I hope I'll see you this Christmas. As for me, I'm also intending to come visit you here. I'm planning on going to work before college starts and as soon as I have enough money, I'll come.'

'I thought the first thing you're going to do when you have money is going to Orlando,' Arnold laughed.

'It can wait. There are some more important things. Besides, to be honest, I'm a bit scared of going there. It's surely going to be different from the time I was there twelve years ago, age nine…'

'You know what? The best way to avoid being disappointed about what it's like now is going there with people who you care about. Take a few good friends and you're going to have fun no matter what.'

'You have only great ideas today, Arnold! That's what I'll do. Okay, so I guess you'll be going home now and I'll go to the quarters, you know, rule 23,' Kevin laughed.

'Yes, obeying rule 23 is the best way of avoiding spooky hell dreams,' Arnold chuckled. 'So, see you tomorrow! Goodnight, best friend.'

'Goodnight, best friend.'

_Fifteen years later_

'So, how do you like it?' Leslie asked, before turning to their middle child. 'Connor, don't go anywhere, you're going to get lost! Arnold, be careful with that ice-cream, it's dripping on your shirt.'

'It's perfect,' Kevin answered. 'Hey, Nabby! Don't lick that fence, how many times do we have to tell you? You don't lick things like this, they're very dirty.'

'Still, I wonder how you can tell, when all we've been doing so far is looking after the children.'

'Well, I can tell Orlando is perfect, because everything that should be here, is here. And that is my family.'

'That's very sweet. So maybe we shouldn't have spent all that money and just stayed home and it would still be the same?'

'Oh, come on! Don't you want our children to make special memories to cherish for the rest of their lives? And then have a place to take their own children for vacation?'

'Okay, I know all these theme parks will be great for the children. And as for myself, when I look around, I feel this place is something… No, I'm not gonna say that.'

'You know it is. So, say it. You say you've got enough of me saying this word, but this time you see, it comes to your mind by itself.'

'Okay, fine, Kevin Price, this time the use of this word is justified. This place is something incredible.'

THE END


End file.
